Folding stereoscope.



f FFI.

EARL E. GOUDEN, E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING' STEREOSCOPE.

Application filed March 18, 1915.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL R. GOUDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and usefull efficient device of this character for exposing to view both transparencies and pictures on opaque objects. A further object is the provision of simple and efficient means for adjusting and folding the device. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in substantially the combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and more specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a plan view of the device embodying my invention, showingthe device in extended form; Y

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the extended device;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the device folded;

Fig. 4 is a substantially central horizontal section of the device in extended condition;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the device; and,

Fig. 6 is a. fragment showing an auxiliary means for holding` opaque pictures.

In the form of my invention shown, a lens frame is provided at the front end of the instrument, preferably composed of an outer portion 7 and an inner portion 8. However, the frame may be made up of a single piece when so desired having substantially the form of the combined portions 7 and 8. The lens frame is provided at its central portion with two spaced openings, in which are mounted conventional stereoscopic lenses 9. Between the contiguous edges of the parts 7 and 8 are secured the rear edges 10 of a hood 11, which is designed to shieldthe eyes of one while using the instrument. The hood is made up of two substantially rigid parts 11 forming the upper and lower sides of the hood and pivoted at their rear edges to the lens frame and adapted to be disposed substantially horizontal when in operative condition .gsee Figs. l and 2), and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 15,190.

folded into substantially vertical positions with their edges over-lapped when in inoperative condition (see Fig.` 3). The ends of parts 11 are joined by Iiexible end pieces 12 (see Fig. 2). At the ends of the hood are buttons 13 adapted to engage the parts 11 and lock the hood in foldedcondition tightly over the lenses 9 when the instrument is not in use to protect the lenses and tol fold the hood in compact condition.

Parallel with the lens frame and at the rear of the instrument is a picture holder 14 joined at its edges to the rear side of the lens frame by flexible walls 15. The walls 15 may be composed of any suitable material, and formed in any suitable manner, but I prefer to use a substantially light tight bel.- lows such as is ordinarily used in photographic cameras. The lens frame is cut away, as at 16, forming a recess or space large enough to house the bellows 15 and permit the holder and lens frame to engage each other when the instrument is in folded condition. Thus, it ywill be seen that upon folding the hood 11 and bellows 15, the device is brought into very compact condition and in which condition may be easily stored or shipped. I v

The picture holder 14 has lits central portio-n open, and is provided with two substantially parallel grooves 17 and 18 around said opening, adapted to hold a picture, not shown, and a light-diifusing plate, not shown. The picture to be used in this instrument is any conventional transparency of a suitable size to fit in one of the grooves, preferably groove 17. rIhe diffusing plate which is preferably used is an opal or etchglass plate, of suitable size to fit the other of the grooves, and preferably groove 18. By positioning the transparency in groove 17 and the diffusing plate in groove 18, the picture, upon being viewed through lenses 9, has the appearance of having white or light high-lights, and the light is so diffused that other objects than the transparency can not be seen through the lenses.

l Across the holder 14 is a bar 19 having its ends entering the sides of the holder close to groove 17 and serves as a support for the rear end of a partition 20 which divides the interior of the bellows 15 longitudinally. The partition is made of substantially the same material and foldable in a manner simf ilar to bellows 15, and has its top and bottom Patented Apr. 10, 191'?.

edges secured thereto. The other end of the partition is secured to the lens frame, and preferably to part 8, between the lenses 9. The provision of partition 2O facilitates Adirecting light after it has passed through the holder 14 to the lenses 9 and prevents the passage of-said light from one end of holder 14 to the lens 9 a't the opposite end of the lens frame, thereby rendering. the pictures more distinct. On the upper and lower edges of the lens frame and picture holder are secured bars 21 which are off-set at their central portions away from the edges of the lens' frame and picture holder. I preferably use screws 22 to secure the end portions of bars21to the lens frame and picture holder, but yanyot-her suitable means may be used, when so desired.` The bars 21 are each provided'with a-slot 23 near the end portions of the off-set parts thereof, and in each of the slots 23 is a pin 24 carried on the end of a lazytong 25. I provide a lazy-tong at the upper and lower sides of the instrument in order to facilitate maintaining the lens frame and picture holder in parallel relations in all of their positions of adjustment. On convenient portions of the lens frame and picture holde'rI provide hooks and eyes 26, so that when the ,instrument is folded, as shown in Fig. 3, said hooks and eyes will lock the device in said condition. l

In order to increase the utility of the device, I provide ar-Ins 27, pivoted as at 2S, to

the picture holder 14. lOn suitable portionsv of the picture holder I provide semi-spherical members 29, which are adapted to engage portions 30 struck up in the arms 27 forming recesses. The parts 29 and 30 are so formed that when the device is folded, as shown in Fig. 3, the portions nearer the outer ends of the arms are `adapted to "engage in order to lock the `arms in folded positions, while the members 29 and 30 situated adjacent the pivotal poi-nts 28, areadapted to engage each' other when the arms are in extended positions, and lock the latter in said positions, (see Fig. 6). At the outer ends of the arms 27, I provide picture holding fingers 31 which are adapted to engage the front and rear sides of the edges of an opaque picture 32, such as an ordinary stereoscopic view. It will be seen that with this arrangement I provide means for preventing diffusion of the light for a considerable distance away from the lenses 9l when Ythe device is used t0 view Aopaque objects. The' partition .is adjustable, so that 'it is always co-eXtensive with Ithe bellows 15. In order to facilitate holding the 'device in any adjusted position, the fore finger and thumb of the person using fthe device may engage the central joints3'2f Iof'either the upper or lower lazytong,iln order to hold the device in such adjustment. When the device is used to view opaque objects, no diffusing plate or transforth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and changes as come within the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim: j

1. A device ofthe class described comprising a viewing frame; a picture holder flexible walls connecting the edges of the holder and frame; a flexible partition having its ends connected with the holder and frame; and adjustable means connecting the holder and frame and adapted to maintain said holder and frame in parallel relations at different distances apart. A

2. A device of the class described comprising a frame having view apertures therein; a picture holder spaced from the frame at one side thereof; substantially light-tight walls connecting the edges of the holder and frame; and a flexible hood on said frame and adapted to be folded over the viewing apertures to close the latter.

3. Adevice of the class described comprising a frame having two sight apertures therein; a picture-holder spaced from the frame; substantially light-tight walls inclosing a chamber between the frame and the holder; and a partition extending between the holder and frame and dividing the chamber into two compartments, each of the compartments having a sight aperture at one side thereof. y

4. A device of the class described comprising a frame having' two sight apertures therein; a picture-holder substantially parallel with the frame; substantially lighttight collapsible walls connecting the edges of the frame and the holder and inclosing the space between the holder and frame; and a collapsible partition extending between the frame and holder and secured to two of said walls dividing the chamber into two compartments,- each compartment having a sight aperture at one side and a portion ofvsaid holder at another side.

5. A device of the class described comprising a frame having view openings therein; a picture-holder; a bellows connected 'at its'endsto the edges of theframe and holder; a rod extending across the picture-holder; a collapsible partition connected at its edges to said rod, frame and two sides ofthe bellows and dividing the space in the bellows into two compartments, each compartment having a view aperture at one end and a portion of the picture holder at its other end.

6. A device of the class described comprising a frame having two sight apertures therein; a picture-holder substantially parallel with the frame; substantially lighttight collapsible walls connecting the edges of the fra-me and the holder and inclosing the space between the holder and frame; a collapsible partition extending between the frame and holder and secured to two of ,said walls dividing the chamber into two compartments, each compartment having a sight aperture at one side and a portion of said holder at another side, and adjustable means connecting the frame and picture-holder and adapted to hold said frame and holder in parallel relations at different distances apart.

7. A device of the class described comprising a frame having lens-holding apertures therein; a holder having means adapted to hold a transparency and a translucent sheet in parallel relation; a substantially light-tight bellows having its ends connected with the edges of the frame and holder; a partition extending longitudinally of the bellows and adapted to be collapsed and eX- tended with the latter; and means for adjusting the frame and holder toward and away from each other.

8. A device of the class described comprising a frame having viewing apertures therein; a holder having means for holding a transparency and translucent sheet in parallel relation; a substantially light-tight bellows secured at its ends to the edges of the holder and frame; and a flexible partition in the bellows adapted to facilitate directing light, after the latter has passed through one portion of the holder, to one of the viewing apertures, and to facilitate directing light, after the latter has passed through another portion of the holder, to the other of the viewing apertures.

9. A device of the class described comprising a frame having viewing apertures therein; a holder having means for holding a transparency and translucent sheet in parallel relation; a substantially light-tight bellows secured at its ends to the edges of the holder and frame; a iiexible partition in the bellows adapted to facilitate directing light, after the latter has passed through one portion of the holder, to one of the viewing apertures, and to facilitate directing light, after the latter has passed through another portion of the holder, to the other of the viewing apertures; and means for adjusting the frame and holder away from and toward each other.

10. A device of the class described comprising a picturev holder; a lens-holding frame; a bellows having its ends connected to the edgesof said holder and frame; and arms on said holder having picture-holding means at their free ends.

11. A device of the class described comprising a picture-holder; a lens-holding frame; a bellows having its ends connected to the edges of said holder and frame; and foldable arms on said holder having pictureholding means at their free ends.

l2. A device of the class described comprising a picture-holder; a lens-holding frame; a bellows having its ends connected to the edges of said holder' and frame; a iiexible partition in said bellows dividing the space between the frame and bellows longitudinally; arms pivoted to said pictureholder and adapted to move to positions laterally of the holder; and picture-holdingmeans on the free ends of the arms.

18. A device of the class described comprising a picture-holder; a lens frame having a recess on one side thereof; a bellows having kits ends secured to the edges of the frame and holder and adapted to be housed in said recess when folded; and lazy-tongs connecting two opposite edges of the frame with two opposite edges of the holder and permitting the frame to be folded against the holder.

14. A device of the class described com- .prising a substantially rectangular pictureholder; a substantially rectangular lens- EARL R. GOUDEN.

Witnesses v CHARLES M. NrssnN, CHARLES H. SEEM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi' Patents, Washington, D. C. 

